


Nightfall

by Miss_Geek



Category: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (Video Games), The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Comfort/Angst, House of Finwë (mention), M/M, Past Character Death, Sons of Fëanor (mention)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-31 11:09:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15118106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Geek/pseuds/Miss_Geek
Summary: Watching a new nightfall on the shore of Nurn, Talion ask Celebrimbor about his past life... Both of them weren't ready for this.





	Nightfall

**Author's Note:**

> Because I need Celebrimbor tell about his past to Talion !  
> also, it's my first fic, so please be nice :)  
> Beta-reader : Morgan_Inkeye  
> Nothing is mine ! (and English is not my first language)

Talion had sat in a ruined tower on one of the Cape Nurn's pontoon, and remained motionless, cut off from the world. He watched the sun slowly disappear behind the Nurnen Sea. The sunset was the only peaceful moment of his long days, so he never missed an opportunity to sit and watch it.

"You are watching it again ?" a deep voice said behind him.

Talion smiled slightly at the remark as the Elven Wraith sat beside him. They had conversed several times about it, it changed them from their plans of attacking the Orcs, and the Elf had explained to him why his race brought great importance to the stars.

"I think I will never get tired of this sight... The sea is so peaceful, and the shore so beautiful at nightfall. I would have loved so much that my family could see that, purity on the lands of Mordor... "

Celebrimbor smiled weakly before looking back at the horizon, his mind seeming to be elsewhere.

"Have you ever seen the sea while you were alive ?" Talion asked.

"Yes, but I was only a child, far from doubting what my future reserved for me..."

"And... how was it ?"

"Well, if you find the shores of Nurn beautiful, know they have nothing to do with those of the Immortal Kingdom.The sea is so light blue that it merges with the sky and the sand so white that it seems like snow..."

"Sounds beautiful, did you go there often ?"

"On rare occasions only, my grandfather and my father spending most of their time in their forge..."

Talion felt a touch of sadness in the usually neutral voice of the Wraith, however, he preferred not to say anything. Celebrimbor did not seem to like talking about his past, which is understandable. Talion was already happy that Elf confided in him.

"But I will always remember, these days seemed endless, our family was so merged. My grandfather spent as much time with me while my uncles went about doing other things, and at the end of the day, my uncle Makalaurë took his harp and played in chorus with the murmur of the water... It was the days of innocence, shortly before the end of the Arda Spring... "

"You must have had a good time !" smiled Talion. His smile vanished when he saw that the Elf seemed nervous.

The Wraith took a deep breath. Talion could see he was reluctant to continue. He had heard of the rest of the story, simple legends for men, but Celebrimbor had lived it all.

"... The misfortune was not long in coming down on my people. My great-grandfather Finwë was slain by Morgoth who also stole the greatest creations of the Noldor : the Silmarils. Mad with rage, Fëanaro, my grandfather wanted to follow him beyond the Immortal Lands and take revenge... But with the Light of the Trees gone, the Mighty ones disagreed and my people turned their backs on them. This day, with the nightfall, I saw the immaculate sand and sea reddened with the blood our brothers the Teleri. But I was only a child, I did not realize the seriousness of our situation. My blood was cursed, but we left, my last memory of Valinor is bloody shores by the hand of my family... " 

"What happened next ?" Talion surprised himself to ask that, but never a Man had the chance to learn as much about the Elves. Realizing that this could make Celebrimbor uncomfortable, he recovered. "Well, you do not have to, if you do not want !..."

Celebrimbor nodded faintly before continuing, he was glad to see that Talion was interested in him.

"When we arrived on the other side, to prevent his brother Nolofinwë from joining us, my grandfather ordered my father Curufin and my uncles to burn the ships. But the youngest of them, Telvo, was still asleep. He is dead, devoured by the flames..."

Talion could hardly believe it, how could a man - a father - not see that his son was not present and let him burn ? All this so that his brother could not follow him ? It was insane !

"I was not there when my grandfather gave his last breath, his burning flesh and spirit to the doors of Angband while all his sons were sworn never to abandon their quest for jewels. The older of them, Maitimo was crowned King but soon captured by Morgoth, and when I knew it, I was terrified, I was afraid of being separated from my family too..."

The man could feel the distress of his companion through these words. He had grown up in constant fear, which explained his mistrust of everyone they met.

"I was older when my great-uncle's people came. They had gone through the Ice Desert, the Helcaraxë, many of them had not managed to finish the crossing... Maitimo was saved by Findekano, his cousin, badly wounded and his right hand was cut off. He left his throne to his uncle and we split up. With my father and Tyelkormo, one of my uncles, we went to live in Nargothrond, a city concealed by Finrod Felagund, but the oath led them to do stupid things, resulting in their banishment."

"When you say 'stupid', you mean ?" Talion asked.

"Sequester the daughter of the king of a neighboring kingdom and free her on the condition that she would marry my uncle."

"Stupid indeed..."

"To stay away from all that, I denied my blood, but that did not protect me forever, Morgoth found us and I had to flee the destruction of the city..."

Talion realized that Celebrimbor had spent most of his life away from his family, fleeing Darkness doomed to catch him up. With the bit of his soul left, he cursed Morgoth and all his servants for it.

"And during the fall of Doriath, I learned the death of my father and my uncles Tyelkormo and Carnistir. After a while, came the turn of Pityafinwë, too tired by his fights... Morgoth fell, but not the curse. Maitimo and Makalaurë, the only ones alive, stole the Silmarils. Maitimo ended his life by throwing himself into the crater of a volcano and Makalaurë threw his Silmaril into the ocean and would always live in exile on the shore. Then came the Second Age, I built Eregion, and... you know the end of the story... "

Talion nodded silently. He knew that Celebrimbor's past was horrible, but he did not imagine it that way. And his description of his family was not more reassuring.

"You have all portrayed them as real murderers, did... did you love them ?..."

"Yes, of course, they all had their defect, but they were my family, it's the curse that has transformed them, it's not their fault..."

"Do you still have someone left ?" Talion asked uncertainly.

"Makalaurë, but he has practically disappeared, Artanis also known as Galadriel, a distant cousin, and Elrond Peredhel, the adopted son of Makalaurë, but on a big family like ours, it's nothing."

"And all the others are..."

"Dead."

Celebrimbor's voice was cold on that last word and Talion felt guilty for bringing back so many bad memories. He tried to comfort the Ghost as he could.

"I... I'm sorry, I did not imagine it was so horrible... I understand why you do not talk much about you..."

"It's my fault, if I could have done anything to stop us before we left Valinor..."

Hearing that, Talion grabbed the Elf by the shoulder and looked him in the eyes. He saw only sadness and guilt.

"No, it's not your fault, you said it yourself, you were only a child, you could not have done anything to prevent it ! A child, a victim of this madness, just like your people !"

Celebrimbor looked down, still guilty.

"Talion..." he murmured. "Please, promise me... Promise me that if this madness catches me up , you will still be here to stop me ..."

Talion stared at him, slightly shocked by his request. He finally drew Celebrimbor against him and finally answered.

"I promise." 

Celebrimbor remained in Talion's embrace, the man could feel him more peaceful, as if he had pulled a large weight off his shoulders. Both stayed there, watching a new nightfall come.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading ;)


End file.
